Mashhad Attractions
Mashhad Articles
Tomb of Nāder Shāh Afshār
Nāder Shāh Afshār (1688-1747) was a member of the Turkic Afshar tribe of northern Persia supplying the military power to the Safavid state....
Nāder Shāh Afshār (1688-1747) was a member of the Turkic Afshar tribe of northern Persia supplying the military power to the Safavid state. Nader rose to power during a period of anarchy in Iran after a rebellion overthrown the weak Persian Shah Sultan Husayn and both the Ottomans and the Russians had seized Persian territory for themselves. Nader reunited the Persian realm and removed the invaders. His numerous campaigns created a great empire that briefly encompassed what is now part of Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the North Caucasus, Iraq, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, North India, Oman and the Persian Gulf. In his campagins, he imitated the military prowess of Mongols and their cruelty. His victories briefly made him West Asia's most powerful sovereign though his empire quickly disintegrated after he was assassinated in 1747. Nadir was Persia's most gifted military genius known as "The Napoleon of Persia". He raised his country from the lowest depths of degradation to the proud position of the foremost military power in Asia. Unfortunately, his triumphs were at the expense of incalculable suffering and terrible loss of life. His grandiosity, his insatiable desire for more conquests and his egocentric behaviour suggest a narcissistic personality disorder and in his last years he seems to have developed some paranoid tendencies.
The Imam Reza Shrine
The Imam Reza Shrine (Persian: حرم امام رضا) in Mashhad, Iran is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of Twelver Shi'ites. It is the largest mosque in the world by dimension and the second largest by capacity....
The Imam Reza Shrine (Persian: حرم امام رضا) in Mashhad, Iran is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of Twelver Shi'ites. It is the largest mosque in the world by dimension and the second largest by capacity. Also contained within the complex are the Goharshad Mosque, a museum, a library, four seminaries, a cemetery, the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, a dining hall for pilgrims, vast prayer halls, and other buildings.
In 818, Imam Ali al-Ridha was murdered by the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun (ruled 813–833) and was buried beside the grave of al-Ma'mun's father, Harun al-Rashid (r. 786–809). After this event, the location was called as Mashhad al-Ridha ("the place of martyrdom of al-Ridha"). Shias and Sunnis began visiting his grave on pilgrimage. By the end of the 9th century a dome was built on the grave and many buildings and bazaars sprang up around it. During more than a millennium it has been devastated and reconstructed several times.
In 993 the holy shrine was ruined by Saboktakin, a Ghaznavid king. However, in 1009, his son Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni ordered the shrine to be repaired and expanded. About 1150 Sultan Sanjar, a Seljuq king, renovated the sanctuary and added new buildings after his son was miraculously healed at the shrine. Later, Sultan Muhammad Khodabande, an Ilkhanate king who converted to Shiism, renovated the holy shrine around 1310. The celebrated Muslim traveler Ibn Battuta visited Mashhad in 1333 and reported that it was a large town with abundant fruit trees, streams and mills. A great dome of elegant construction surmounts the noble mausoleum, the walls being decorated with colored tiles. Opposite the tomb of the Imam is the tomb of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, which is surmounted by a platform bearing chandeliers. However, the tomb of Harun al-Rashid is not considered sacred, as he was responsible for the murders of the 6th and 7th Shia Imams.
In the 15th century, during the reign of the Timurid Shahrukh Mirza, Masshad became one of the main cities of the realm. In 1418 his wife Goharshad funded the construction of an outstanding mosque beside the shrine, which is known as the Goharshad Mosque
Top Mashhad Tours
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Iran Islamic Tours to visit Islamic sights and shrines in Iran
Iran Islamic Tours on 10 Days
Day 1 Arrival in Tehran: Arrival at Tehran IKA Intl Airport, Meet and assist by our Iran Tour Guide, Transfer to Hotel, Check in at Hotel. Overnight Tehran
Day 2 Visit Holy Shrine of Abdol Azim:Sightseeing tours of Tehran: morning after breakfast we visit Holy shrines of abdol-azim in Rey Town near Tehran, time for pray and worship. After the noon pray we visit Iran national museum, or Tehran grand bazaar as well as Golestan Palace. Overnight Tehran
...Read moreIran Islamic Tours on 10 Days
Day 1 Arrival in Tehran: Arrival at Tehran IKA Intl Airport, Meet and assist by our Iran Tour Guide, Transfer to Hotel, Check in at Hotel. Overnight Tehran
Day 2 Visit Holy Shrine of Abdol Azim:Sightseeing tours of Tehran: morning after breakfast we visit Holy shrines of abdol-azim in Rey Town near Tehran, time for pray and worship. After the noon pray we visit Iran national museum, or Tehran grand bazaar as well as Golestan Palace. Overnight Tehran
Day 3 Flight to Mash'had: Today after breakfast, flying to Mash’had, transfer to Hotel. Afternoon Visit holy shrine of Imam Reza, time for pray. Overnight Mashhad
Day 4 Excursion to Nishabour and Tus: Today for an excursions we visit Nishabour to visit Ghadamgah a place which was visited by Imam Reza and Imam Ali, in Ghadamgah there's a piece of stone which locals believes it marked with Imam Reza’a foot prints, after in Nishabour we visit tomb of Persian Poet Khayam-e Nishabouri, drives back to Mashahd and in Tus we visit mausoleum of Ferdowsi the great Persian epic Story teller and poet, by evening we visit Imam Reza Shrine, time for pray. Overnight Mashhad
Day 5 Flight to Shiraz: Visit Holy Shrine for morning prays after flight to Shiraz, arrives and check in, afternoon visit Vakil bazaar in Shiraz, Overnight Shiraz
Day 6 Shiraz Tour: City of Shiraz is the third Holy city of Iran and represents Holy Shrine of ali-ebn-e hamze known as Shah-e cheragh( King of the Lights), At afternoon visit the Shrine of Shah-e- Cheragh as One of Imam Reza’s 8th brothers, after visit Mir Ahmad Shrines in the same Courtyards. After visit Shah-e Cheragh Bazaar. Overnight Shiraz
Day 7 Shiraz Tour: visit Karim Khan Citadel, Vakil Mosque and vakil bazaar after visit beautiful Narenjestan-e Gavam Garden, afternoon we will visit Mausoleum of Hafez and sa’di as two great Persian Poet’s, evening visit holy shrine of shah-e cheragh, time for pray and worship Overnight Shiraz
Day 8 Visit Holy Shrine of Shahe cheragh after flight to Tehran: After breakfast, visit Holy Shrines of the Shah-e- Cheragh. In afternoon flying back to Tehran, arrive and transfer to hotel. Overnight Tehran
Day 9 drives to Qom: After breakfast, we drive to Qom, visit Holy shrines of Fatima Masoume( the sister of Imam Reza), in afternoon drives back to Tehran. Overnight Tehran
Day 10 End of the Iran Islamic Tours: Departure and flight back home, Salam and Bon voyage
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The Tour of Mashhad [with the Swiss]
Two wonderful tour days with the Swiss, visiting:
Malek's House in Mashhad
Imam Reza Shrine
St. Mesrop Armenian church of Mashhad
Nader Shah Museum
Tour of Museums [round the shrine]
An old bathroom [Anthropology Museum]
Shopping at the Bazar-e-Raza, a popular market with spice shops and boutiques
Tomb of Ferdowsi in Tous
Haruniyeh Dome in Tous
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Two wonderful tour days with the Swiss, visiting:
Malek's House in Mashhad
Imam Reza Shrine
St. Mesrop Armenian church of Mashhad
Nader Shah Museum
Tour of Museums [round the shrine]
An old bathroom [Anthropology Museum]
Shopping at the Bazar-e-Raza, a popular market with spice shops and boutiques
Tomb of Ferdowsi in Tous
Haruniyeh Dome in Tous
information on the city: [Mashhad is the second most populous city in Iran and capital of Razavi Khorasan Province. The city is most famous and revered for housing the tomb of Imam Reza, the eighth Shia Imam. Every year, millions of pilgrims visit the Imam Reza shrine and pay their tributes to Imam Reza. Today, Mashhad attracts more than 20 million tourists and pilgrims every year, many of whom come to pay homage to the Imam Reza shrine (the eighth Shi'ite Imam). It has been a magnet for travellers since medieval times. Those who make the pilgrimage to Mashhad—and especially to the Imam Reza shrine—are known as Mashtee. Today, the holy shrine and its museum hold one of the most extensive cultural and artistic treasuries of Iran, in particular manuscript books and paintings. Mashhad is also known as the city of Ferdowsi, the Iranian poet of Shahnameh, which is considered to be the national epic of Iran. ]
Note: the tour ended in 17 April 2015 - unfortunately this site does not match the dates. To apply for the tour with the same plan, please contact me one day before your arrival date. The price is negotiable.